12/31/2008. Formed by Ben "Benny" O. Howard at Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1922 the Howard Aircraft Company used "DGA" (Damn Good Airplane) in all its designations.

By 1940, the expanded Civil Pilot Training Program demanded more training aircraft. Designed by Howard's chief engineer, Gordon Israel, the low-wing two-seat trainer DGA-18 was a deviation of the biplanes and high-wing monoplanes the company had produced so far (except for three racers:DGA-3 "Pete", DGA-4 "Mike" and "Ike"). The prototype was constructed within three months and flown in 1941, and three versions were produced:

The three versions were also known by their engine power, respectively DGA-125, DGA-160 and DGA-145.

Clayton Alexander recalls: "When I was a teenager back in the 1940's one landed, or maybe I should say arrived, at a grass airport near where I lived downwind, he just made it. He was quite gruff when I asked him what kind of plane was that. He just said "damned Howard".